


Metamorphosis

by ShayneyL



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Episode Related, Episode: s02e15 Threshold, Gen, Mild Angst, Prompt Fic, Writer's Month 2020, kinda sappy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:46:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25903792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShayneyL/pseuds/ShayneyL
Summary: No one came to see Tom Paris when he was on his deathbed in "Threshold." Not even his best friend, Harry Kim.
Relationships: Harry Kim & Tom Paris
Kudos: 23
Collections: Writer's Month 2020





	Metamorphosis

**Author's Note:**

> Writer's Month 2020, Day 14. The prompt is "metamorphosis."
> 
> I've written a lot of "missing scenes" for various episodes. "Threshold," until now, wasn't one of them. It's just such a weird and silly episode. But hey, the prompt is "Metamorphosis."

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Though the Doctor wanted to keep them in sickbay for three days, Captain Janeway convinced him to release them, as long as they rested and reported in for regular checkups. Tom wasn't sure what to do with himself. The captain had insisted on giving him three days off to recover. He seriously doubted she would take three days off herself, despite her promises to the Doctor, but she was the captain, he wasn't.

Ordinarily, he would love a three-day vacation, but right now he desperately needed the distraction of work. He thought about going to the mess hall, or the holodeck, but found he wasn't ready to deal with people yet. He headed for his quarters instead.

He'd thought he was making a place for himself here on _Voyager_. Picking up the pieces of his life at last, and fitting them together into something…acceptable, if not the shining paragon his father had expected. But he'd wrecked it all, as he always did. Kidnapped the Captain, and…he couldn't even think about it without cringing. The crew loved their captain, and would hate him for what he did to her.

And even before that…he had to admit, he was deeply hurt that none of his friends had come to see him in sickbay. Or rather, the people he'd _thought_ were his friends. He _died_...with no one beside him but the Doctor. And Kes, who wouldn't even kiss him goodbye.

He shouldn't be surprised. He wasn't important to anyone. He'd imagined that maybe that was changing. He remembered Harry saying he chose his own friends. And how he defied the XO's "suggestion" that he avoid Tom — a very risky decision for a new ensign.

Not seeing Harry was what hurt most. His best friend. Or at least, Tom thought of them as best friends. He realized he'd never heard Harry say it.

He was very tempted to start drinking. Not synthehol, which was safe, but real booze, that wasn't. Not for him. He paused, torn between continuing to his quarters and going to see Ayala, who ran the Maquis still.

"Tom! _Tom_!"

He turned toward the voice. Harry was pelting down the corridor like a horde of Vidiians was behind him. Before Tom could ask him what was wrong, Harry was hugging him like a long-lost brother. Stunned, Tom didn't react at first, then tentatively returned the embrace.

"I thought you were dead," Harry said, his voice muffled against Tom's shoulder.

"I was," Tom said. "I got better."

Harry stepped back. Tom saw his eyes were wet. Though seconds ago he'd been upset that no one cared, now he found himself wishing Harry didn't care so much. He hated to see him distressed, and he realized that Harry had indeed been distressed at Tom's "death."

"I'm sorry I didn't come see you in sickbay. The Doctor wouldn't let you have any visitors until it was too late."

Until it was… "Did you see my body?" He really didn't like the idea of Harry seeing his corpse. His half-lizard corpse.

Harry nodded. "I went down to pay my respects as soon as my shift was over. I was planning your funeral." He smiled crookedly. "I'm glad that's no longer necessary."

"Me, too."

Harry clapped a hand on Tom's shoulder. "Hey, want to go to Sandrine's tonight? Everyone wants to celebrate your breaking Warp 10."

Tom blinked back tears. People did care about him. Especially Harry. Though he wasn't prepared to face them all just yet. "Maybe tomorrow," he said. "I'm supposed to rest. Join me in my quarters for dinner? My treat."

"My dad always told me, never pass up a free meal," Harry said. They began walking down the hall towards Tom's quarters.

"So tell me, Harry…what were you going to say in my eulogy?"

"Oh, no. You'll only get a swollen head."

"Come on, Harry. There could be some fudge ripple pudding in it for you."

"No, forget it. Wait. Fudge ripple pudding?"

Tom threw his arm around Harry's shoulders as they continued down the corridor. Though they kept exchanging banter about it, he didn't actually care about what was in the eulogy. He already knew how Harry felt about him.


End file.
